The film will centre around the Scotsman's flight to invent the detection system with a group of British scientists.

Breaking Bad's Laura Fraser will play Izzard's wife Margaret, while other cast members will include Alex Jennings (The Queen), Tim McInnerny (Blackadder) as Winston Churchill, David Hayman (Trial And Retribution) and Julian Rhind-Tutt (Green Wing).

Izzard said of the project: "I feel very privileged to be playing the role of Robert Watson-Watt. Hopefully our production will allow him, along with Arnold 'Skip' Wilkins and their team, to finally take their places in the pantheon of British greats of World War II, as the inventors of radar."

Elsewhere, BBC Two has also commissioned a new five-part series titled Human Universe, presented by Professor Brian Cox.

Cox will seek to tackle some of mankind's biggest questions in the series, including who we are and why are we here.

Among the other shows commissioned by BBC Two and BBC Four include Kate Humble visiting Australia's fire departments ahead of wildfire season in Inside the Wildfire.

Michael Mosley will also delve into the world of parasites in Infested, infecting himself with creatures including tapeworms and leeches.

Janice Hadlow, controller of BBC Two and Four, said: "Looking ahead, I'm delighted to be announcing such a strong and varied mix of new commissions, from a major series asking some of the biggest questions we can ask, to a factual drama telling the poignant and little known story of the invention of radar."